MARCO ISLAND, Florida: September 10, 2017. Hurricane Irma has become the second Category 4 hurricane to make landfall on the continental U.S. in less than 16 days.
With over 6.7 million Florida homes without power, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is responding with air, ground and marine personnel to assist in the recovery operation as Irma heads towards Atlanta, GA; Birmingham, AL; and Nashville, TN.
The DoD said it has pre-positioned almost 4,500 personnel, including 300 doctors and healthcare professionals, in the U.S. Southeast to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Florida state authorities.
As Irma moves north to Georgia, an aircraft carrier, guided missile cruiser and two amphibious vessels will begin deploying search-and-rescue forces, strategic and vertical airlift, planning, communication and medical capabilities to airports in Florida.
Army Corps of Engineers' power teams, debris removal teams, temporary roofing teams and port survey personnel are on standby in Florida and Georgia and the Defense Logistics Agency will support the distribution of more than 12 million meals over the next 10 days.
Meanwhile, U.S. Army spokesman Jamie Davis said evacuation of 2,000-3,000 American citizens from St.Maarten/St. Martin to Puerto Rico, following Irma's destructive landfall, is continuing along with the provision of water, sanitation, logistics support and the transport of disaster relief personnel to the island.
The DoD said three amphibious assault ships are already delivering food and water in the U.S. Virgin Islands; the Army Corps of Engineers' has deployed power restoration teams, debris removal experts, temporary roofing teams and port survey personnel; and the Defense Logistics Agency has begun shipping commodities and large generators.
Pictured: The New York Air National Guard has rescued U.S. citizens requiring urgent medical attention from St. Maarten, Leeward Islands after Hurricane Irma. America is also providing humanitarian assistance in St. Martin in response to a request from France.
